French Nails With Gel Polish: How to Nail the Classic French at Home

French nails are the most timeless manicure there is: a natural pink base with a white free edge. It's also one of the hardest looks to get absolutely perfect — but with gel polish, the right brush and a little technique, you can easily pull it off at home. Here's the method we use ourselves.

What you'll need

• Base coat and a nude or milky gel polish for the base
• A white gel polish with good coverage for the smile line
• A thin liner brush (or French stencils if you'd like help with the line)
• Top coat and a UV/LED lamp

Every product in our range is 100% free from HEMA, di-HEMA and TPO — including the whites and nudes you'll use for your French.

Step by step

1. Prep the nail thoroughly. Push back the cuticles, lightly buff the surface and cleanse with cleaner. Good prep is half of a beautiful French.
2. Build the base. Base coat, cure. Then 1-2 thin layers of nude/milky colour, curing between each layer. Thin layers are essential — if the colour floods the cuticle, the layer is too thick.
3. Draw the smile line. Follow your own free edge with the white colour in one soft curve. Hold the brush flat and pull from the side towards the centre — first from the left, then from the right, so the lines meet in the middle. Cure.
4. Tidy up with a clean brush. Dip a thin brush in cleaner and run it along the underside of the smile line before curing — that's what gives you the razor-sharp edge.
5. Seal. Top coat over the entire nail including the free edge, and cure.

3 common mistakes (and the fixes)

• Uneven smile line: Draw the curve in two strokes from each side instead of one long stroke. Practise on your dominant hand's nails first.
• White edge too thick: The white should only cover the free edge — a third of the nail at most. Less is more.
• Streaky white: Use two thin layers of white rather than one thick one, curing in between.

French variations

The classic white French is just the beginning: micro-French (an ultra-thin line), coloured French (black, red or pastel on the free edge) and babyboomer (the soft gradient) all use the same base technique. Find the colours and ready-made French sets in our Modern French collection.

Frequently asked questions

Can you do French nails without stencils?

Yes — with a thin liner brush and the two-stroke method above. Stencils are a great help at first, but most people get the neatest line freehand with a little practice.

Which base colour should I choose?

A milky or nude tone close to your own nail colour. If your nails lean pink, go for a pink nude; if they're warmer, choose a beige nude.

How long do French gel nails last?

Like all gel polish: up to 3 weeks with proper prep and a sealed free edge. See our guide to how long gel nails last.